1. Technical Field
This invention relates to viewing cases and, more particularly, to a private viewing case for I.D. cards and the like for assisting a non-user to privately view and verify data printed on a user card.
2. Prior Art
In recent years the fear of identity theft among the general population has increased as the occurrence of such theft has significantly increased as well. Typically, identity theft occurs when a criminal obtains a person's personal information, like their social security number and full name. The lawbreaker then uses this information to acquire credit cards in the name of the person whose information they have stolen and makes significant charges thereto. However, the criminal does not use the true person's address, but rather has the credit card bill sent to some other address. Thus, unless the person frequently checks their credit record, they will have no idea that purchases are being made in their name and are being added to their credit history.
Since these illegal purchases are never paid for by the criminals, the credit score, also known as the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) score, of the person whose identity was stolen suffers from these unpaid purchases. When the victim subsequently wishes to purchase a house, car or other item that requires a large loan, they will find that lenders will not give them a loan because of their seemingly poor credit history. It can take years for an unsuspecting identity theft victim to correct and overcome the damage caused by this heinous, but sickeningly common, crime. Many steps have been taken to lessen criminals' opportunities to illegally acquire a person's personal information. Generally, these steps have focused on electronic methods of stopping identity theft over the internet.
On a daily basis, though, a person can display their credit and debit cards several times in public. These cards have account numbers on them that criminals can use to gain access to their private information, or to make on-line purchases. Certain steps have been taken in the prior art to prevent this from happening by introducing card holder devices that blocks an unauthorized person line of sight of the credit or debit card.
One prior art example shows a card holder in the form of a shell or shield that has juxtaposed layers forming a slot or pocket into which a card is inserted. The pocket is made of relatively stiff plastic that resiliently resists flexure whereby a yielding friction grip is imposed upon the card inserted therein. The shell or shield has sides and an overhanging top that combined effectively shields the card from all but frontal view. Unfortunately, this example provide no convenient means for attaching the assembly to a counter top or similar surface, thus requiring a user to hold it in their hands or lay it flat on a support surface. When holding the assembly, the person may find it difficult to perform other tasks, and when laying the assembly flat the purpose thereof is defeated since the card held therein can then easily be viewed from afar.
Accordingly, a need remains for a private viewing case for I.D. cards and the like in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a private viewing case that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is conveniently portable between remote locations, and effectively prevents unauthorized persons from viewing the card held therein. Such a viewing case is conveniently attached to transaction counters and allows a transaction clerk to view a current customer's I.D., credit and/or debit card, while effectively preventing others in the immediate area from viewing the card. By attaching the assembly in an upright fashion to the counter, the transaction clerk advantageously retains the use of both hands for other tasks like using a register or writing down certain information from the card or cards.